TAMPA, Fla. – Alexandre Texier scored just over a minute into the third period, breaking a tie and leading the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.
This win gives the Canadiens a 3-2 advantage in their first-round playoff series.
Rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes made 38 saves, propelling Montreal within one win of advancing to the next round for the first time since their defeat to the Lightning in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2021.
Canadiens’ Scoring Highlights
Brendan Gallagher scored his first goal of the series, and Kirby Dach also contributed a goal for the Canadiens. Gallagher’s goal came early in the first period when he capitalized on a rebound after Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy deflected Alex Newhook’s shot.
Dach’s goal restored Montreal’s lead shortly after Dominic James tied the game for Tampa Bay with his first career playoff goal. Dach skillfully maneuvered past a defender and managed to regain control of the puck before scoring.
Game Dynamics and Key Performances
All five games in this series have been closely contested, with each decided by a single goal, including overtime in the first three matches. Game 6 is set for Friday night in Montreal, where the teams previously split Games 3 and 4.
For the Lightning, Jake Guentzel also scored, tying the game late in the second period with a slap shot that slipped between Dobes’ legs. Guentzel holds the record for the best playoff goal-scoring ratio among American-born players in NHL history, with 43 goals in 79 games.
Challenges for the Lightning
The Lightning face the prospect of elimination in the first round for the fourth consecutive season. They have struggled at home, losing 10 of their last 12 postseason games despite a streak of 460 consecutive sellouts.
During the game, Tampa Bay successfully killed a four-minute power play after Ryan McDonagh received a double minor for high-sticking, limiting the Canadiens to just one shot during that opportunity.